


Break the ice

by NYWCgirl



Series: WAC 2020 [4]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, CaringJack, Cold Weather, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, HurtMac, Hypothermia, Survival, falling through the ice, heart problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:29:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27990786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: While Mac and Jack try to make a getaway, they have to cross an ice field. It wouldn´t be written for whump advent if it would go as planned.
Series: WAC 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2045485
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21
Collections: Hurt/Comfort Bingo - Round 11





	Break the ice

**Author's Note:**

> This fic fills the ‘Heart trouble’ square on my H/C Bingo card. It is also written for the fourth prompt of Whump advent, where the prompt was ‘Falling through the ice.’

‘Talk to me guys, what is happening?’

‘We are a little busy Matty. Mac lost his comm.’ Jack huffs while running behind Mac, trying to catch up.

‘With what?’

‘Trying not to get killed.’

‘OK, that is a good reason.’

Mac, with his long legs, is way ahead of him. Mac must have decided that the quickest route is over the ice, so he follows the kid onto the ice. It is a risk but he has to agree it is the quickest way out of here. Since the ice is fairly thick, it is a calculated risk. Following Mac, he is sure they are going to make it. That is until the goons that are chasing them, start shooting. Jack immediately returns fire but they keep shooting and when he hears the ice below his feet cracking, he turns back towards Mac, just in time to see the kid break through the ice. It all happens so suddenly that Mac can’t even make a sound before he is under water.

‘Mac!’

Jack wants to run towards Mac but he can hear the ice break around him, so he quickly lays down, distributing his weight over the ice. It now dawns on him that the goons weren’t shooting at them, they were breaking up the ice with their shooting, the icy water will take care of them.

‘Matty, we need a medevac. Mac fell through the ice.’

‘Do you have him?’

‘No, I’m trying to reach him.’

‘Go get him out of the water, Jack!’

Jack refrains from answering, quickly sliding over the ice towards where the ice swallowed Mac. At the same moment Mac emerges and tries to get back onto the ice but it keeps breaking underneath his weight. He desperately claws at the ice.

‘Stop moving! I’m coming to get you Mac!’

Jack takes off his belt and throws it to Mac, who tries to grab it but keeps missing.

‘Stop Mac! I’ll get you.’

It’s clear to Jack that Mac is already lost his coordination. He will need to get the kid out fast.

‘Mac, talk to me.’

‘Cold Jack.’

Jack can hear Mac’s teeth chatter or so he thinks. He loops his belt and throws it again to Mac.

‘Put your hand in the loop Mac.’

Mac moves, but suddenly goes under, coming back up gulping for air, scrambling to get a grip on the ice.

‘Come on Mac, you can do it. Put your hand in the loop.’

‘Tired.’

‘You can´t sleep Mac. If you close your eyes, I won´t be able to safe you. PUT… YOUR HAND… IN THE LOOP!’

Mac tries a couple of times and eventually his hand is in the loop and Jack pulls, slowly. The ice seems to hold so Jack pulls until he is able to take Mac’s arm and pull him towards himself. Mac lays limp, unmoving, while he is pulled and manhandled.

‘Hey kid, let’s get off the ice, OK? Matty, what is the ETA on that medevac? Mac needs it now.’

Mac is conscious, but it is also clear he is not tracking. His eyes stare in the distance and he is mumbling. What worries Jack is that the kid isn´t shaking, which means he is already severely hypothermic.

‘Mac, are you with me? Talk to me kid.’

But Mac doesn´t respond. He is deadly pale and his lips are blue.

‘Matty, I really need an ETA. Mac needs help fast.’

‘The chopper is only minutes away.’

Jack has put his coat over Mac, who lazily blinks but doesn´t move whatsoever.

‘Mac, come on, you need to stay with me.’

Jack checks Mac´s breathing but it feels slow and shallow and it worries him. When he hears a helicopter, he gets up and starts waving with his arms. When he is sure he is seen, he kneels back next to Mac.. Something must have triggered Mac, maybe the sound of the helicopter, because he starts mumbling again and clumsily tries to get up.

The helicopter touches down and the medic jumps out, running towards them.

‘He fell through the ice about twenty minutes ago.’

While the medic takes vitals, the co-pilot comes running with a gurney.

‘OK, we’re going to go right now.’

They lift Mac onto the gurney and quickly carry it to the helicopter. Once they take off, the medic cuts away Mac’s wet clothes and covers him with blankets. IV’s are started and Jack is impressed, Mac is a tough stick on a good day, let alone impersonating a frozen popsicle in a moving helicopter. Ever since they are in the air, Mac has closed his eyes and they haven´t been able to rouse him again. The medic tucks a blanket around his head, so only the area around his eyes is not exposed. The rest is covered with a mask or blanket. Next the medic squeezes some first-aid warm compresses. When the bags warm up, he places them under Mac’s neck, groin area and chest wall.

‘How is he doing?’

‘Snug as a bug in a rug. We’re almost at the hospital.’

* * *

‘

Jack watches how they fit Mac with an oxygen mask. Since he is severely hypothermic, the ER-doc decides to warm Mac’s blood with a hemodialysis machine. Once they start that up, it is a waiting game but they are cautiously optimistic that he is going to be OK. That is until all of a sudden the heart monitor gives a shrill alarm.

‘What is happening?’

‘Step aside Jack, let us take care of him.’

The doc listens to Mac’s heart and orders medication that is pushed in the IV. It doesn´t take long for his heart rhythm to stabilize.

‘What happened?’

‘Sometimes when we re-warm a person cold blood enters the heart and it doesn´t like that. But he is young and in good health so he will be fine, we just have to wait and anticipate for what comes. We will watch him closely.’

Mac looks cold, even under the bair hugger and the tick wooly looking socks they put on him.

‘Why don’t you sit down and we will get you something to eat and drink.’

‘Thanks.’

Jack sits down in the chair next to Mac’s bed. A nurse aid enters with a tray.

‘Hi, I was asked to bring you something to eat, do you want coffee or tea?’

‘Coffee please.’

She pours coffee in a small can and put it on the tray. Jack thanks her and starts eating. About an hour later Mac starts to move. He lazily blinks open his eyes.

‘Hey kid, how are you feeling?’

Mac sort of stairs at him, like he isn’t really there. It worries Jack.

‘What happened?’ he whispers.

Jack winces when he hears Mac’s voice, he sounds like he gurgled with nails.

‘You fell through the ice.’

Mac mumbles again.

‘I’m sorry kid, I don’t understand you.’

‘What happened?’

‘You fell through the ice.’

‘I’m cold.’

‘Yeah, that is to be expected.’

‘Why?’ Mac looks confused.

‘Because you fell through the ice.’

Mac seems to be processing his words, ‘I feel through the ice?’

Jack presses the nurse call button, because now is worry is through the roof. The level of confusion is worrisome.

‘Hey Jack, you called? Oh, hi, Angus. Good to see you awake.’

‘Mac is very confused, is that normal?’

‘Well, it is to be expected with hypothermia this severe. Angus may experience memory loss as well. So how are you feeling Angus?’

‘He likes to be called Mac.’ Jack remarks.

‘Sorry, well Mac? How are you feeling?’

‘Cold?’

‘Yeah, it will take some time for your body to be able to maintain its body temperature.’

‘When can I go home? Why am I here?’

‘Since you experienced some heart arethmias, we would like to monitor you for twenty for hours. And we are also monitoring you for possible pneumonia, since you went under water.’

It is clear Mac is already lost track of the conversation and his eyes are slipping shut. It is clear that Mac tries to stay awake, but eventually he loses his battle against the exhaustion.

* * *

Jack enters Mac’s house with groceries and medication he picked up at the pharmacy.

‘Hi Boze, where’s Mac?’

‘He is on the couch, taking a nap.’

‘Still cold?’

Bozer nods. Jack walks into the living room to find a pile of blankets on the couch, somewhere underneath of it all is Mac.

‘Hey kid, still cold?’

The mountain of blankets and pillows moves.

‘Hi Jack, I can’t seem to be able to get warm.’ He says miserably, coughing.

‘The doc explained that it would take some time for your body to be able to stay warm. Can I get you anything?’

‘Some hot tea?’

‘Hot tea coming up.’

Bozer must have heard them because he is already bringing on a mug with steaming hot tea. Mac accepts it, wrapping his hands around it, leeching off the warmth.

‘Thanks for getting me out Jack.’

‘Hey, that is why I am there for, no thanks.’

‘Hey do you know it snowed last night. My parents called and asked if we wanted to come upstate.’

‘Yeah about that. I think I had enough cold for this week, do you mind going alone?’

Bozer looks apologetic, ‘of course, sorry, I wasn’t thinking.’

‘Next time.’


End file.
